Loggerhead Marinelife Center to hold its largest turtle release next week

Loggerhead Marinelife Center will hold its largest sea turtle release in the center’s history, bidding farewell to five sea turtles from the facility off Juno Beach on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m., weather and surf permitting. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure parking and best viewing areas.                                          

The turtles include Shertz, a juvenile loggerhead that was transferred from the New England Aquarium after the major sea turtle cold-stunning event in 2015; Bruce, a sub-adult Kemp’s ridley found near Hutchinson Island earlier this year; Treble and Pearson, both sub-adult loggerheads that were accidentally hooked at the Juno Beach Pier in May; and Brie, a sub-adult loggerhead found near Hutchinson Island last spring.

After designating specific fluids, medications and other treatments for each turtle, and close monitoring by LMC hospital staff, all five turtles were medically cleared and deemed ready to return to their ocean home. To read more about each sea turtle patient’s journey, visit www.marinelife.org/patients.

LMC staff members say they’re looking forward to this historic event.

“The most rewarding day for the rehabilitation staff is always the day a patient is returned to the wild,” said Dr. Charles Manire, LMC’s staff veterinarian and director of research and rehabilitation. “Being able to return five sea turtles to the wild all in one day will be very rewarding.”

The sea turtles will be prepared for release from LMC beginning at 10:30 a.m. One of LMC’s education docents will convey a history of the sea turtles’ journeys and final arrangements to visitors, followed by a procession to the beach for their release into the ocean.

Local staff will be available for media interviews at their discretion. Please contact Hannah at hdeadman@marinelife.org if you are a member of the media.